A New Start
by nike-danyahh320
Summary: Kate met Gracelynn when she is one of the suspects in Kate's case. Little does she know that they have something in common. What happens when Kate finds out a secret her mother kept from her.Chapters 9 is now up! Enjoy and review!
1. A Life Lost, buy a Life Gained

_The yellow tape..._

As Kate Beckett walked toward the crime scene, that was what she noticed. The yellow tape. Every time she came to a crime scene she always notices the yellow tape.

_I have to focus...There's a murder that needs to be solved._

She was entering the apartment of Jacob Smith, lawyer for the law firm Johnson and smith, age 34, Harvard law graduate. And from the looks of his apartment, was very well off. Some of the furnishings in his home were worth more than Kate's yearly salary.

So fast that she barely saw it coming, a hand shot in front of her with a cup of coffee.

_Castle._

"Thanks" she said to him, knowing it was early. 3 a.m. was early for anyone.

"So what's up with this guy?" castle asks, clearly excited about the murder.

"From what Esposito told me, man shot three times, once in the head, twice in the chest. More than likely going to be our COD." Kate said, taking a sip of her coffee.

"Kind of boring if you ask me" he says, disappointed.

"Yeah well castle, the murderer didn't ask you now did they?" smirking, she walked toward Lanie, to get the notes.

"Our Vic here was shot" Lanie said before Kate could even ask.

"Boring..." Castle overemphasized.

"Well, I have to run a diagnostic test to see what went wrong." Lanie glared at Castle, making him shut his mouth before the next witty remark.

"Ok well, there isn't much else we can do, considering Ryan and Esposito have already done everything." Kate was lost for once, having nothing to do.

Ryan approached them, having heard what she said. "Well, I wouldn't say that. Neighbor says last person they think saw our Vic was a Gracelynn...Beckett."

Beckett looked at Ryan. He seemed a little shocked at the suspect's name.

"Ryan, I'm almost certain I have no relation with this person. Beckett is a very common last name, just like yours." She didn't see what he was fussing about "Besides, I was an only child."

She turned and was headed to her car when castle met up with her.

"Are you going to go get the girl?" he asked excitedly.

"I have to. She's a suspect in this murder, and so she needs to be questioned."

* * *

They arrived at the most recent known address of Gracelynn Beckett. It wasn't in a very nice part of town, but nowadays, only the rich lived in the nice parts.

"What's the apartment number?" Castle was looking at the floor numbers, waiting for her answer.

"Apartment number 312."

"Well that means we better get climbing. That's three flights of stairs."

They walked toward the door that led to the much abused staircase. And as usual, when they walked, Castle had to talk.

"So Alexis wants to spend the day with her new boyfriend on her birthday." He seemed pretty agitated about this specific topic. And Kate could understand completely.

"Are you going to let her? I mean, she's 17. She's old enough for at least that, don't you think?"

Castle look at her, confusion in his eyes.

"I don't know, do you think I should? Did you ever do that when you were younger?"

"Well, when I was 12, my Dad had to go to Europe for a business trip, and I was able to go with him for the year that he would be away. I went to school up there, and that's why I speak French so well. Well, when we left, I had about two weeks to go until my thirteenth birthday, and so my mom took me out, just the two of us, and we spent the day together. Of course, my parent's marriage had been rocky, and they were finalizing their divorce papers, so my mom didn't really want my dad for the day." Kate told the story with a little sadness of her voice, and Castle was certain it was for her mother. "But she told me that no matter where she was, or where I was, she would always love her children."

They had gotten to the third floor finally, and Castle was quiet for the remainder of the walk, thinking about the story and how he didn't think it would be deadly for his health if Alexis spent the day with her boyfriend. Maybe he could do what Johanna did with Kate, and celebrate earlier with her and his mother. _That would solve everything, _he thought.

"Well, here's room 312." She knocked at the door and waited for a little while.

She heard a small child start to cry and some shuffling of some things around.

Then she heard a little rattle at the door, which she assumed was the chain, and then a heavy click: the deadbolt.

The door opened and a young girl appeared in the doorway, hair a mess, and a small baby in her arms, crying their small lungs out, wanting something but unable to speak for herself. Or at least Kate thought it was, seeing as the baby had a small pink bow on her head and little purple socks.

"Hi, are you Gracelynn Beckett?" Kate asked loud enough for the girl to hear over the baby's wailing. The girl kept rocking the baby and bouncing her, hoping it would quiet the baby. After a little while, the baby quieted from wailing to whimpering.

"Yes I am, and you would be?" The girl had obviously not had much sleep, considering her voice was think with exhaustion. She had dark circles under her eyes, and her hair was a rumpled up mess.

"I'm Detective Kate Beckett. Would you mind answering some questions for me regarding a Jacob Smith? Do you know him?" She was talking quietly as not to wake the neighboring apartments and send them complaining.

"Okay, uh I guess come on in." She moved out of the way and walked toward the kitchen, grabbing something out of the freezer and putting it in a pot of boiling water.

_Breast milk, _Kate figured. It must be baby's feeding time.

Kate and Castle sat down at the table while Gracelynn quietly rocked the baby to sleep, quietly singing her a lullaby. The baby was still whimpering when she was pouring the milk into a bottle for feeding time.

She finally sat down at the table in front of detective and the writer. Her look was a pure confusion.

"Okay so what about Mr. Smith has you two knocking at my door at four thirty in the morning?"

"Well Mr. Smith was found dead earlier. One of his neighbors said that you were the last one to see him, and they thought maybe the last alive." Castle stated this as if it were just a mere coincidence. Or that maybe it might all be a mistake, and we got the wrong girl.

But the look of agony that crossed the young girls face stated something: this was personal.

"Jacob is...dead?" she asked, not able to get above a whisper, or barely even that.

Tears started to flood down her face, and she started trembling. She managed to quickly burp the little baby and lay her in a miniature bassinet in the adjacent room.

"Did you know him personally?" Kate asked in a sympathetic voice, trying to remain calm for the so as not to spook the girl. She got up and followed the girl into the living room where she saw her lowering onto a beaten up couch. She stared blankly at the wall.

"Gracelynn, did you know him personally?" Kate asked a little more urgently.

"Um, sort of, I guess you could say so." She looked at her baby, who was finally asleep, then to the Detective. "Have you ever heard the saying, 'One moment can change a lifetime'?"

Kate looked at the baby, and then back to the girls' empty eyes. She thinks she knew.

"Gracelynn, is Jacob Smith your baby's father?"

She was quiet for a long moment, it almost felt like hours, and then she finally spoke.

"He didn't know, to be honest. It was one night, at one of the law firms' parties. I worked there doing filing because it was better than the orphanage I had been at for most of my life. He gave me a drink, and I accepted, thinking it was a friendly gesture." She stopped to catch her breath, trying to prevent the sobs that could visibly be seen in her chest. She leaned over in the bassinet and grabbed her little baby girl, wanting her baby to comfort her through this story.

"After the drink, more started coming," she continued, "and after a while, I started getting lightheaded and everything became all fuzzy. When he was pulling me into an office, I couldn't tell up from down truthfully. I finally came to it when I realized he was taking my clothes off a..." she paused to let the sobs out, not being able to contain them anymore. "I think you can make two and two."

Kate waited for Gracelynn to calm down a bit before continuing. Castle had moved next to her and tried to comfort by rubbing her shoulder.

"Gracelynn, why were you at his apartment last night?" She needed this last question.

"I was there...because I told him about Johanna. He at least needed to know about her."

Kate froze. Hearing the familiar name kind of shocked her.

"He told me he didn't want anything to do with her, and that I had not proof that she was his whatsoever. Told me I just wanted his money."

Kate wrote everything down, and closed her notebook. This part was done.

"Thank you so much for your cooperation. I don't know what to say to you, to be truthful," Kate said in a small voice, "except I'm sorry this happened to you. You're a strong girl, doing all this at such a young age.

"Actually, not to sound conceited or anything, you remind me of _me_" Kate said quietly to the girl, and Castle nodded in agreement. "I was on your side once. My mom was murdered, ten years ago, and I had everything set for college, at 19, and I switched paths. I had my Dad, who took her death hard, and I had myself to look after." She looked at the girl, who had a hint of surprise in her eyes. "And do you want to know something?" she nodded her head.

"Your daughter's name is the name of my mother. Johanna."

The girl was quiet for a small second. When she got up suddenly, Kate was surprised. Gracelynn walked over into another room and came back a minute later with a small picture.

"Detective," she asked quietly...

"Is this your mother?" she continued.

She showed Kate the picture, and it took all she had not to let go.

Looking back at her was a small photo of her mother. She looked up at Gracelynn and held her gaze.

"How did you get this?" Kate asked; voice a monotone, not gaining much volume either.

Gracelynn waited to look for the right words.

Then she spoke.

"The orphanage gave it to me when I left them. They said she was my biological mother. And that she had died."


	2. The Truth and The Lies

**_Hi everyone!_**

**_Thanks for the reviews! I started this on a whim and the reviews are making me want to continue on more!_**

**_I don't own anything, it all belongs to ABC_!**

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Kate stared at Gracelynn blankly. Looking but not really looking. She was trying to process what she was saying.

_Gracelynn was her…sister. He mother had kept this from her for…she didn't even know how long!_

Gracelynn put the picture back on the beaten up table that had a bunch of other things on it; old receipts, bank statements, house keys, and some baby equipment. Kate looked at Gracelynn.

She saw her eyes, her green eyes, that were also her mother's eyes. She had her mother's dark brown hair, and her face structures hadn't exactly matured yet with her age but were definitely there. The high cheek bones, the prominent jaw line. Her lips were a little bigger than hers were and her eyes a little bigger.

Finally Kate spoke:

"How long did you know about this? That she was your mother?" Kate was still astounded that she had this girl, that she was her sister.

Gracelynn thought about it for a couple seconds and answered her question.

"They told me once I got released from the orphanage. I asked and they had my birth certificate on file. Said mother was Johanna Beckett, but the father was unknown. They said no one was there with her when was in delivery and that she didn't bother filling out that part of the certificate." Gracelynn looked at her hands and then picked her baby back up, who was up and fussing again.

She checked her diaper and turned away, repulsed, at what seemed to be causing the baby discomfort.

She got up and headed to the changing pad on the floor, and laid the baby down gently. When she was through, she picked the baby back up and continued to rock her to sleep.

Kate looked at the Gracelynn.

"Gracelynn, how old are you?" She asked.

"I was born on March 13, 1992." She said it like any old date. It could have been yesterday.

Kate thought hard about that date..

_It was when she and her father were in Europe. Her mother would've had enough time to hide everything from them._

Then Castle spoke up. Gracelynn and Kate had forgotten he was there.

"I'm sorry to interrupt, Kate, but we do have to get back to the precinct." He looked truly sorry he had to be the one to say this.

Kate looked at her father's watch, and noticed it was almost six thirty. He was right.

She looked at Gracelynn, apology in her eyes.

"Listen, Gracelynn-"she started.

"Please, call me Grace." She insisted.

"Okay, Grace. Listen, if you need anything, anything at all, do not hesitate to call me. I don't care what it's for. Even if it's just to talk, please call. And if you don't mind, I'll drop by after I can get off of work, and maybe bring some food." Kate said assuring her. She knew it must be hard on this young girl, to have a baby and to be just a young adult herself. And finding all this out! She didn't want her to go through this alone.

She handed Grace her card, and wrote her number on the back.

"Okay, thanks." She said, a little relieved that this wasn't goodbye forever. She really wanted to get to know this woman, _her sister._

Before Kate could see it coming, Grace leaned in, with the baby still tucked into her chest, and hugged Kate as tightly as possible, and let a couple more sobs out. Kate returned the hug and let a couple tears out as well. She didn't want Castle to see her like this but she thought it wouldn't really matter.

This girl went almost 18 years, thinking she never had a family, that they had just abandoned her, and probably never did have someone who really cared for her. Then to have the Vic assault her like that, and then wind up having a baby of her own. She couldn't imagine what this girl was going through. She wanted to help this girl.

_Her sister._

Kate released her from the hug when the baby started whimpering again, saying she wanted out of the girly choke-hold. Kate turned around and with Castle, left her _sisters' _apartment.

After the door was shut behind her, Kate was hit with all that had just happened. She had a sister, and a very young one at that, only 17. She had a niece, Johanna, also very young and helpless. Her mother had kept this from her for the longest time, and never mentioned it to her, not even after they got back from Europe. She wondered if her father knew. Did her mother mention it to him? Why did she keep it a secret? Why didn't she keep Grace?

She wasn't paying attention where she was walking, and nearly tripped on the staircase, if it had not been for Castle walking right next to her. He grabbed her around the waist, and made a grab for her left arm with his free arm. When that forced her out of her revere, she looked into his solid blue eyes.

"Beckett, are you okay?" he asked, arm around her waist seemingly tighter than necessary. Her eyes were slightly misty with all the hidden emotions flowing through her like a river right now. His arm snaked tighter and he was wondering when she'd pull a gun out to make him back off.

She finally realized he was asking her a question, and tried to find her voice to answer him.

"Y-y-yeah. I'm fine." She stuttered, embarrassingly. She noticed the smirk coming across her face and tried not to smile or smirk back.

Their eyes followed down to Castle's arm, and she motioned to get out of his grip, but he pulled it tighter.

"No, no, Detective! You might lose focus again! What would happen if I wasn't such a skilled and coordinated man? Who could catch you?"

She tried for a comeback. "Skilled and coordinated? Only with a pen and notepad in your hand I would think. Last I remember, _I _was the one who was skilled in the martial arts department." She retorted.

"Hey! I know some moves!" He replied.

"That didn't come from the _Karate Kid _or a _Bruce Lee _film?"

"Point taken" he surrendered.

He took his arm back, and instantly she missed it. It had taken her mind off of the event that had just happened. She didn't think she would be able to focus on work today. Not until she was off.

They got to her car, and she could feel Castle's gaze on her.

"What?"

"Are you sure you're okay?" he asked sincerely. He was worried how this might affect her.

She looked at him, and then all of a sudden, the tears that had been held back, broke out like a riot. She couldn't seem to stop them and when Castle wrapped her in a hug, she couldn't make out the hug or the gasp she let out.

"Kate, what about this is so upsetting?" He couldn't understand why finding a long lost sibling was so bad?

She took a minute of steady breathing to calm herself down, and answered him.

"It's not the sibling, but the _mother…_" she said. "I can't believe my mother kept this from me for so long. She never mentioned her, never even hinted! I don't know if she ever told my dad or not, but it's just…" she tried to think of the word, "sad. I apparently didn't know my mother that well if I didn't know this. We must not have been as close as I thought we were.

Castle held her as she let all this out, knowing this was what she needed.

After awhile, Kate regained her structure and got out of Castles' hold. She wiped the remaining tears away, and did her even breathing again.

Castle looked on at her.

"Okay, can I make a suggestion?" He asked, cautiously?

She looked on, nervous.

He continued. "Ok, here's what you can do. Go back to the precinct, finish what you have to do, and ask the captain to let you go early, for family business. Saying something that would make him let you have the rest of the day off. Then we can come back here, pick up Gracelynn and her baby, take her to my place, and have a nice _home cooked meal, _considering it looks like _both _of you haven't eaten something decent in a while. Does that sound like a good plan?" he offered.

She contemplated it for a moment, not sure if she wanted to do it at his place. _How could it possibly hurt?_

"Fine Castle, but if I tell you to leave, you had better leave." She warns.

"Hope to die" he smirks, and she can't help the small smirk that creeps up her face.

* * *

**_Well theres chapter 2! Wow and withing 24 hours of each other too!_**

**_I wonder what will happen next! Ya'lls guess is as good mine_**

**_Review please! And I might post another chapter up tomorrow! Hopefully I can get to a good part before I school goes back on Monday! Peace love and bunnies__ Niki._**


	3. The Conversation and the Explanation

Ok so I know this was supposed to go up yesterday, but to be honest, I got caught up reading other Castle fan fictions and before I knew it, I didn't know how I wanted this Chapter to go. So I picked the perfect time to write today, when my internet is malfunctioning, and I have no distractions, except my iTunes account where I now have 13 Castle episodes very proud of myself. This is turning into a long AN so I'm just going to start writing enjoy.

_**Disclaimer: don't own diddly-squat. Wish wish wish I did. Nope nope nope I don't!**_

* * *

Kate walked into the bullpen with Castle at her heels.

_Finish the paperwork, and then I'm done._

She sat at her desk and Castle went into the breakroom to get some coffee. She started what seemed to be routine when there wasn't a case to solve, not when Ryan and Esposito were handling the case. Figured, since they got a print on the Vics neck with some gun powder residue and a bullet casing, they could handle it. It was written nicely, and even she had to admit the evidence wasn't too obvious.

When Castle returned with her coffee, she quickly took a sip and returned to work. Castle was lost in thought about this morning's revelation. It seemed like that movie _Crash _again. Some people from unlikely backgrounds, connected. It was just so…he seemed to be at a loss for words. He watched Kate from the side of his eye, and for once she didn't say anything about it. She seemed lost at the least.

After an hour or so, she heard some commotion, and looked up to see.

Ryan and Esposito were bringing in what looked like to be a very upset woman. She had long black hair, and chalky pale skin. She was trying to break out of Ryan's grasp, hence all the chaos. Then she did something Ryan wasn't expecting.

She started punching. And Kate had to say, she got in a couple good ones to Ryan. From Kate's desk, she heard the pop that came from what she had to guess was Ryan's nose.

Esposito grabbed the woman from behind and cuffed her. He had one of the officers standing by transfer her to the holding cells. He turned to Ryan.

"You okay bro?" he handed him one of the napkins from the breakroom.

Kate saw all the blood rushing down his mouth and didn't think that much blood could come from a punch that weak.

"Yeah, but damn it, Jenny's going to kill me for this!" Ryan exclaimed. He tilted his head back, hoping the flow would stop.

"Wow, bro. she still got you whipped? Sad, bro. Sad." Esposito walked off toward his desk while Ryan went to take care of his nose.

Castle looked back at Beckett. He had a gleam in his eye that she didn't like seeing there too often.

"What Castle?" she asked.

Castle looked at her and tried to hide what was a smirk.

"Did you realize Ryan was right?" He asked.

She was confused. "What? Right about what?"

He looked at her like she was stupid. She reached for her gun and he smothered the look altogether.

"About Gracelynn being your sister!" he nearly shouted.

She looked around frantically, and gave him another look as she reached farther for her gun.

She whispered to him quietly. "Castle! Would you not go blurting it out! I haven't told anyone yet, and id like it if I was the one who informed them!" he looked like he was about to shout something again, and instead of reaching for the gun, she reached for his ear.

And twisted it _hard!_

"Ow, ow, ow! Apples, apples, apples!" he nearly screamed at his lungs.

"Now will you be quiet?" she asked, still whispering.

"Yeah, yeah, ok!" he said, giving in.

She let go of his ear, and turned around to face her desk. She looked back at him with a pout on his face and him rubbing his ear.

"So when are you going to tell everyone though?" He asked, no games.

She thought about it and truthfully, she had no idea. She knew she had a lot of people to tell. The Captain, Ryan, Esposito, Lanie…Her Father. She admitted she was not looking forward to telling the last person. She knew it would be hard on him, and she was afraid about how he would take it.

"Castle I don't know when. I just want to get back to her. I'm worried about how she might be taking this. I don't know if this was good for her or not." She looked back at him, his face understanding. "I don't even know how I'm handling this! I'm still not grasping it." She looked down now.

"You're not ashamed of her, are you?" he asked, hoping not to insult her. He started to worry when she didn't respond.

"It's trivial, isn't it? Everyone who has a younger sibling is always afraid that they might embarrass them, right? I don't see what I'm so nervous about! I'm an adult! I pay freaking taxes for crying out loud! Why is it I'm terrified about what people think about me if I have a sister I never even knew about?"

She realized this outburst was one of the many she was going to be having over the next couple of days. As much as she is known for keeping everything in, and not "sharing", she always let it out one way of another. And she knew she couldn't let this be bottle up.

Not if she wanted this to destroy her.

Castle looked at her and after her calming down a bit said, "Okay. I think your done for today. Is your paperwork finished?" he asked.

She looked down at her paperwork, noting all she was missing was the Captains signature.

"I need the Captain to sign this paper, and then I'm done."

"Ok. Go get the signature. Tell him what happened, and I mean the _truth._ He is going to need to know. You can't keep it from him. Tell him you need to take the day off and that this had you wound tighter than nothing has had you in a while. And tell him what you told me. Don't share with anyone unless it is necessary."

"How do you know he'll even listen to me? Last I checked, he was Captain, not me."

Castle stared at her, dumbfounded. "Beckett, really? When has the Captain not let you or anyone off for that matter when they needed to take time to cope with something? He let you make the choice when it was Coonans' case, saying if you couldn't handle it, you didn't have to take it. Do you he even got the bargain for Coonan. Do you really think that if you ask and say how much this means, he won't let you have it?" Castle tried her.

Kate stared at him, trying to figure out if she believed him or not. She finally decided that it wasn't going to work if she didn't try. She got up and walked towards the office.

* * *

Captain Roy Montgomery was writing up a recent statement, and was about to reach for his telephone to make a call to the commissioner when he heard a light knock on his office door.

"Come in." he said nonchalantly. He looked up to see who it was.

_Beckett? What's this about, _he thought to himself.

"Hey, Captain. Can I have a word?" she asked quietly.

_Must be important._

He looked at one of the best detectives in his departments. She had a worried look on her face, and seemed that something was on her mind.

"Of course, Beckett." He motioned toward the chair in front of his desk. "Have a seat."

She walked towards the chair slowly, trying to think about how she was supposed to ask.

_I guess I'm just going to have to wing it, _she thought to herself.

When she was seated in the chair, she handed the Captain her folder, knowing he already knew what had to be done. He quickly opened the folder, singed hid name without even looking at the paper, and handed it back.

"Thank you, Captain."

"You're welcome, Beckett." He looked at her intently. "Now what's the real reason you came in here to talk to me for?" he asked.

She knew he would know there was something else.

"Okay sir, I don't know how to say this, and so I'm just going to say it straight." She said.

He continued to look at her.

"This morning, I found out I had a sister."

His eyes got slightly bigger, but only for a moment.

He waited for her to continue, and seeing as she was going to say nothing else, he asked, "Was that all you had to tell me? Other than I have a feeling you're going to ask if you can leave early?" he saw her eyes get as big as manhole openings. She wasn't expecting that.

And to be honest, neither was he. She never so much as took a sick day, even on her worst days. So this was different for the both of them.

"Sir, how did you know?" she asked, shocked.

"I had a hunch, Detective. But it is understandable, wanting to take time off to figure this out. It has to be confusing; finding out someone you never knew existed." He told her.

"Or finding out someone you loved lied right to your face." She mumbled.

"What was that?" The Captain asked.

"Nothing, sir." She said. She thought it through for a moment, then asked, "Are you sure it's okay that I take the rest of the day off?" she confirmed.

"Is your work done? Everything nicely packed for the D.A's office?" he drilled.

She smiled. "Yes, Sir." She responded.

Now it was the Captains turn to smile. "Then I see no harm in that you leave early. Go figure this out Detective." He shooed her out of his office. "Oh, and Beckett?" he called.

She turned around to face her boss. "Yes, Sir?"

He smiled one of those smiles, the one that is rare on any cops face.

"Tell this sister "Hello" for me. And that I look forward to meeting her when you're ready to bring her around." He said.

"Yes, Sir. Thank you, Sir." She said, exiting the office with a smile on her face.

She walked back to her desk, seeing Castle spinning on her chair again. She didn't even tell him to get off.

He noticed the smile on her face, and says, "Judging by a smile that big, I'm going to say he gave you the day off?"

She smiles bigger and only nods. She motions for him to move momentarily so that she can straighten out her desk for tomorrow when she would return to work. She put away all her notes for the previous case file, and what she was definitely happy about was that she could see her sister on a bright note.

They found Jacob Smiths' killer.

Turns out it was his ex-wife, Irina Merlotte. She thought he was trying to cheat her out wife support (_although judging by her face, she needed rehab)_ and she happened to have her father's old 35 millimeter handgun from when he died last May. Easy case for the boys to solve, and she was going to be put away for a long time. She was happy she could tell her sister.

_It's so weird, _she thought,_ saying I have a sister. I wonder how long it's going to be until that becomes normal._

She looks up at Castle again, only to see his blue eyes. He has a smile on his face as well, thinking hers must be contagious.

He gets up and extends his arm to her.

"Well Detective, shall we go forth and fetch your newfound sister and niece, and invite them to a marvelous dinner in my beautiful castle?" he laughs. "Ha-ha, get it? Castle? My last name is Castle?"

She only looks at him with a hopeless smile.

"Yes, we shall" she says, walking with their arms linked together, toward the elevator.

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**Well there you go! Chapter three!**

**_I wrote this all on going with the flow too! No plot, charts, nada_**

**_Well please review! I hope to get another chapter up soon, like before I go back to school on Monday! _**

**_Review, Review, Review! Please and Thank You! :]:]:]:]:]:]:]_**


	4. The Stumble and The Truth

**Okay so this is going up wayyyy later than I had hoped for. The router for my computer went out so no internet for my laptop**** but my grandmas computer works, only I'm too shy to ask to use it (mainly cause I'm always on my own!)  
That's the bad news. Good news? I have no distractions what so ever to prevent me from writing until Tuesday morning when I go to school. (Originally I thought it was Monday (tomorrow) but I was sadly mistaken! So no school! So my goal is three chapters before Tuesday…maybe I'll get lucky!**

**Anyway review and enjoy!**

Kate and Castle pulled up to the apartment building they had just been at earlier this morning. Only this time, on better terms. She couldn't help but be nervous when they walked up the three flights of rusty stairs to apartment 312.

Kate knocked on the door and waited.

No answer. She knocked again, and waited a little bit more but Grace never answered.

She decided to call out.

"Grace? Are you in there?" she yelled. She was starting to worry, thinking that maybe something happened.

Castle tried knocking, but it didn't do much else besides make Kate worry more.

"Grace!" Kate yelled frantically.

"Excuse me?" Kate looked down the hall to see a middle aged man with big glasses. He looked like he was coming in from somewhere. "Are you looking for the young lady that lives there with the baby?" he asked.

Kate's heart started to go into overdrive. Maybe someone kidnapped her. "Yes, Sir. Have you seen her?" she asks frantically.

The man nods. "She goes running about this time every day. Takes her daughter and goes for about an hour or so. Then usually I'll see her at the little café around the corner, just sitting at one of the outside tables, reading a book or the newspaper." He reached his door and unlocked it so he could step in. he turns around to face them again. "Judging by when she left, she won't be at the café until another forty-five minutes or so. She's usually there until noon."

Castle looked down at his watch. It was only 10:15. They had so much time to kill until she was through with her run.

Kate couldn't be happier. She was thinking that something horrible had happened to the young girl and her baby. _To her sister and her niece, _she thought to herself.

"Thank you so much sir." She replied. She watched as the man went into his apartment and shut the door.

She turned back around to face Castle now. He was trying to come up with something.

"What is it now, Castle?" she asked.

He snapped out of his little mind calculation, and focused back on her.

"It's only 10:20 right now. She won't be at her table until another forty minutes, at the least." He looked at her with a growing smirk now rising across his face. "What are we going to do until then?" he asked.

Kate was stumped. This wasn't a question she had thought of yet. She hadn't even noticed how much time they still had to kill.

Then Castle's face lit up like light bulb.

"I got the perfect idea!" he exclaimed. He even went to the extreme of holding up his index finger like a little kid.

Kate grinned ever so slightly. "What have you got Sherlock?" she joked.

His smirk grew more pronounced.

"I would like a woman's opinion on what to get Alexis for her birthday. Would you be ever so kind to help me?" he asks with a little kid's pout on his face and big puppy dog eyes.

She can't help but laugh at his face.

"Sure, I guess. No harm in it and we have enough time." she replied as he started walking to the doorway for the stairs. She found this slightly awkward considering she didn't even know when Alexis's birthday was. She had become close to the girl, and sometimes felt like a parent, though only slightly. She knew that Alexis had a good head on her shoulders and didn't need much help, unless it came to the one person they both tried to keep in control: Castle.

She wasn't looking and she stumbled on the door jamb…right into Castle's arms.

She felt a blush run up to her face and color her cheeks. She was starting think that she shouldn't be lost in thought when descending the stairs. Might be hazardous, like right now.

She got the courage to look up into Castle's eyes, and immediately wished hadn't. His eyes were hypnotic, drawing her in like a flame does a moth. She hadn't noticed how close his and her faces had gotten until she felt his breath on her lips. It made her mouth water, wanting to see what he tasted like…

_What was she thinking? Was she going crazy? She couldn't kiss Rick Castle! He was her partner, her shadow…her friend._

But she couldn't change the one simple fact:

She did have feelings for him, and strong ones too. The ones that are hard to shut down, like an addiction. The ones that can grow into something more, unless something stopped them.

But she couldn't move her eyes. She could only see blue. A beautiful, sky blue.

And then his lips brushed hers. Only slightly, but they both felt the tingle of electricity go through that slight brush. And before she knew what was happening, she crashed her lips onto his, not giving him a chance to realize what he had done. He pushed her against the wall that was facing her back and she gave a small moan, one of pleasure.

One of happiness. She had never felt like this before, like she was weightless. Not even with Sorenson. With Sorenson, it felt more like a competition. And Demming, it was too see if she could forget Castle; more of convenience.

He grabbed her hair, wrapping his fingers into it, pressing her face closer to his. She was pulling his whole body closer to her, digging her nails into his back. He let out a small moan himself, and she soaked it all in.

Then she did something she didn't think she could do. She pulled away.

Her breathing was ragged, like she just sprinted a marathon, and her hair was all mussed up. She could feel her face was slightly red and could tell her clothes were in slight disarray.

Castle's hair was sticking up, not in its usually styled look. His face was red as well and his breathing was not better.

She looked at him. She couldn't believe what just happened. What had she let him do?

Castle smirked, seeing her shocked look. "Was that as fun for you as it was for me?" he asked.

She could not believe he was just shrugging it off, like it was a walk in the park or a shake at Remy's. This was serious. Or at least _she _thought it was.

He could tell she was upset about this. _Dammit, Castle! Why did you have to go and ruin things? It was all fine until you had to catch her…wait that sounded wrong, I couldn't let her fall…but I shouldn't have kissed her! Ohh but it was so much fun…_

He looked at her. She was still raging a silent battle within her mind.

"Hey, Kate, I'm sorry if you didn't want…what just happened to happen. It won't again. I'm sorry. It was a mistake." He apologized.

She looked up at him in disbelief. _Won't happen again? _She kept repeating. _No…_

"Castle, why are you sorry?" she asked, dumbfounded.

"Cause I know you probably didn't want it to happen. I should've pulled away…I should've never pulled _in _to begin with." He went over and over, wanting desperately for her to forgive him.

She couldn't believe that he thought that. Yeah, sure she didn't want to kiss. _Now._ That didn't mean for the rest of their lives.

"Castle? Don't you think that if I had wanted out, I would've pulled my gun out on you?" she said.

He contemplated this for a minute. "Yeah, probably. But if so, why didn't you?" he asked.

She looked at him, flabbergasted. "Really, Castle? I would say 'think outside of the box', but you shouldn't have to." She fixed her shirt. "If I didn't pull my gun out on you, then that means, maybe, I wanted it too." She says, not looking him in the eye.

He couldn't believe what he was hearing. She was actually telling him she wanted him to kiss her.

She wouldn't look him in the eye, too afraid that he would see the emotion in her eyes.

She felt his finger slide under her chin. He pulled her chin up until she was looking at him, right in the eyes.

"Kate Beckett, did you just mean what you said?" he asked, huskily.

She tried to find her voice, to make it sound powerful, but could only muster up something quiet.

"I'm a cop, Castle. I'm not allowed to lie unless it's to get information."

She saw a small smile creep onto his face, and he gently brushed his lips against hers again. Her heart almost stopped.

She decided to speak up. She didn't want this little party to stop, but she had to find her sister, and she was pretty sure the gift Castle wanted to give Alexis wasn't an all night make-out pass for her and her boyfriend.

"Castle, we should go. Don't you still need your present?" she asked.

Realization hit him! "Oh my God and we still need to get your sister!" he exclaimed, taking off frantically. She laughed at his sudden rush.

"Calm down, Captain Flash. It may have seemed like hours, but it wasn't even five minutes." She thought this the perfect opportunity. "You're quick." She smiled.

He caught the glimpse of her joke. "Oh ha-ha, Detective, ha-ha." She laughed harder at the lack of response on his side.

She got up on her toes and pressed her lips to his softly. "You think I'm funny?" she asked sweetly.

He gulped.

She snorted and started walking down the stairs.

He grabbed her arm, and linked it in his.

"Don't need you falling, tripping, or stumbling again." He smirked. "No telling what will happen next."

She lightly smacked his arm, and continued walking down the stairs.

_**So there ya go people! Chapter 4 is now complete! Again super sorry that this is being posted today (Wednesday) and not the time I wrote it (Sunday) broken router can be a total pain in my ass I know! But I promise! Big upload today! Gonna make chapter five and six hopefully!**_

_**Only things that are keeping me going? Reviews and my own curiosity**____** I gotta know what happens too and I just write as I go along! So I have no idea what the heck happens next! When this happened I screamed!**_

_**Gotta love those voices in your head huh?**_


	5. Hourglasses and Coffee Cafes

_**Okay so I still don't have internet and its Sunday. You of course are not getting this until today which is Wednesday. But at least you are getting it**____** that last chapter…wow. I can honestly say I thought they were going straight to the café where Grace was, but you know how characters are**____** they want something that you might not know**____**  
anyway enjoy Chapter five!  
**_**Disclaimer: Don't own nada**

When they got outside of the apartment, it had gotten slightly warmer than when they had left the precinct. She started to shrug off her coat until she felt someone's hands help her out of it. When she turned around, Castle was there with a smile on his face.

She smiled as he took her coat. They started walking toward the string of shops and the little café they were told Grace would be at in less than 35 minutes. So until then, they were on the hunt for a present.

She started thinking about what she wanted when she was seventeen. She recalled many things; a car, but being that this was New York, that wasn't practical at all. She had wanted new clothes, but she doubted that Alexis needed more clothes. More books, but again, her father was a writer, so she was sure Alexis had plenty.

_What to get?_ She thought…

"Castle?" he turned to face her. "What are some things Alexis is into?" his face formed into a thoughtful one, and tried to think of what his daughter would want.

Kate was looking at the surrounding shops and passes one that sold some custom jewelry.

"Castle, look in there!" she pointed to the small necklace that was in the window. It was small and silver, but had a small blue gem in the middle of the hour-glass pendant. She thought it was beautiful, and pulled Castle into see it up close.

When they entered the store, they saw they had more pendants; they had the hour-glass, a dove, a swan, a music charm, and one with an old fashioned key. Castle took interest with the key, and Kate thought it would be perfect for Alexis.

"It's saying she's the key to your heart, I think" Kate told Castle.

"She has had me wrapped around her finger for seventeen years now, and she still seems to be my baby girl.

Kate linked her arm in his, and squeezed his arm. "She will _always _be your little girl. To this day, I'm still my father's little girl, and I don't see that changing anytime soon." She smiled up at him.

She looked at the hour-glass one more time, looking at the price. She thought that was rather unique, but was wondering what it could say.

"Excuse me, ma'am? I'd like to purchase one of your necklaces here." Castle asked one of the clerks in the back. She was small around but what Esposito would call "top heavy". She had light blonde hair, big eyes, and pale skin.

"Yes, I can help you" She spoke with a thick Russian accent. "My name is Sonya. What do you need?" she asked politely.

"I would like that little key with the blue sapphire, please?" he asked nicely, quite the charmer.

The woman opened the back of the display case, and picked up the one that Castle asked for carefully.

"This one, sir?" she confirmed. She held it up for him, hitting the lamp light just right to make the little gem glisten beautifully in the light.

He nodded, smiling with a satisfaction. He got the gift out of his way." Is there a chance you might gift wrap it? It's for my daughter's birthday on Saturday." He explained.

She nodded as well, saying that she would be right back with it all wrapped up nice and "veet" as her accent didn't let her pronounce many words correctly.

Kate looked at Castle, happy that he felt his accomplishment. He should be happy. He found his daughter a present, and all she did was find the store. She looked around and noticed it was a Russian collectible shop. They had little Russian dolls, candies, and even those little circus toys that you could put the small one in the big one and same until they were all put in one big doll.

She saw a soft scarf hanging up on a pole full of cloths in the corner. She walked over to examine the beautiful piece of material. Castle came up behind her, and saw her looking. He took it off the rack, and put it her, seeing how the color looked. It was a brilliant green, bringing out her eyes amazingly.

He wrapped it around his arm, smiling at her.

"Castle, what are you doing?" she asked.

He looked at her with his famous smirk. "You don't think that I'm going to let you walk off without a scarf that makes your eyes shine like jade jewels?" he said poetically.

She just looked at him.

"Please, Detective, I want to." He asked politely.

She gave in, not liking the fact he wanted to buy her something, or that he _was._

They brought the scarf to the front right when the clerk was bringing out the little blue jewelry box.

He gave her a sympathetic smile. "I'm sorry, could you ring this up too?" he asked, hoping t not to frustrate the woman.

She seemed the opposite, and smiled at him. "Of coorse!" she said, her accent making another appearance

After Castle paid for everything, they left the store.

"Well, Ms. Beckett, would you like to wear this beautiful scarf now? Let the City of New York see your brilliant eyes?" he asked dramatically.

"Give it here." She laughed.

…..

They turned the corner to what was supposed to be the café that Grace usually stayed at for a little while during the morning. Kate thought she could make out the hint of a baby stroller through the bushed along the fence. When they approached the entrance, they saw her dark brown hair buried in a book, not noticing much around her except the small bundle of yellow in the stroller.

Grace was wearing a black pair of yoga pants that went down to her feet, and old pair of running shoes that could not quite easily be seen, and a black sleeveless shirt with a black sports jacket over it.

Castle told her to go to her sister, and that he would go into the café to get some coffee for them.

As he left, he grabbed her hand quickly and gave it a squeeze. A comforting squeeze she really needed. Then he went into the shop.

She turned around and took a deep breath before heading to the corner coffee table. She was afraid of what the girl would say. What her _sister _would say. She took one more breath and started the walk.

She reached the table in a couple of strides, no doubt thanks to her long legs. She looked at her sister before speaking.

"Hi Grace," she started quietly, "Do you mind if me and Castle join you?" she felt so nervous!

Grace looked up and smiled. Kate let out a breath of relief inside her head.

"Kate, Hi!" she got up and hugged the girl she had just met this morning. "Of course, sit, sit! Let me move Johanna so she's more by me." She said as she maneuvered the stroller toward her side of the chair, between her and Kate.

Kate sat down at the table, smiling at the girl. She looked different than she had this morning. Looking as if she got a little more sleep, a shower and a good run in. her cheeks were slightly pink from the outside chill of late September. Soon it would be getting much colder, and she had a feeling people wouldn't be outside at 50 or below.

Grace seemed to see that Kate was at a loss for words, so she tried to fill it with senseless chatter. "So how did you find my secret hiding place, Detective?" she giggled like she was a kid who was caught with her hand in a cookie jar and a mouthful of crumbs.

"I have my secrets" Kate smiled back, no seeming to be at ease, more comfortable that the girl wasn't upset to have to be dealing with her again. She seemed like she was glad to have some company.

"My neighbor told you, didn't he?" she asked, figuring it out pretty quickly. "I see him around here often. He works at the building three doors down on the other side of the street." She pointed to the big skyscraper that said _McDaniels Inc_.

Kate laughed out loud. She was glad to see that Grace joined in too. Soon, Johanna was whimpering, wanting out of her stroller for a little while. Grace leaned in to see her.

"Hi, Jadey-Jo!" she cooed at her. "You want out, don't you? Don't you? Yes you do!" she smiled when the little bundle was unfastened from her stroller and brought to out into the breeze.

Kate looked at Grace holding her baby. _What a picture perfect moment,_ she thought.

Grace saw Kate looking at her and her bundle, smiling.

"Kate, would you like to hold her?" she asked quietly.

Kate was floored. She didn't know what to say. Yes or No? She wasn't even sure.

Finally, she thought that no harm could come to it. That she wouldn't hurt the baby, and that the baby would surely not bite her, or gum her actually. She nodded and held out her arms for the little yellow bundle that was Johanna.

Grace passed her into Kate's arms. Johanna might be small, but she was sure heavier than she looked. She was so warm, and you could see her little face peeking out of her little self-made burrito.

She could see her and Grace's, and even her mothers', jade green eyes. Brilliant and bolting with unknown thoughts. Her hair was as dark as Graces, only she had thick curls on her head. And in all those curls, you managed to see one little white ribbon.

"Well, Detective Beckett! That is quite a nice look for you! You should try the mother look! You never know, it might just be your thing."

Castle came up with her coffee and three Danishes and a couple muffins. He set everything down on the table so that everyone could have their grabs, and sat next to Beckett, looking over her shoulder at Johanna in her arms. He looked up at her and saw the happiness in her eyes.

Kate looked back at Johanna, and saw the little baby girl smiling up at her. She let out a little squeal, crinkling her eyes up at the same time.

"That means "Hello" and she's saying she likes you." Grace said, laughing at her little girls funny noises. She reached over and tickled her little foot, making kissy noises and funny faces to make her squeal louder. Kate let out another laugh, sounding just like Grace. They seemed to be more alike than they knew.

"So Kate, have you asked Grace about tonight?" Castle asked, obviously wanting to know the truth.

Kate looked at Grace, and asked. "Would you and Johanna here like to join me for dinner at Castle's? He has offered to cook us both a tasty home cooked meal, making us bust our guts before we leave his house." She smiled at her sister, Grace returning the smile.

"Oh, well that was unexpected." She said, looking at Castle. "I would love too." She replied.

Kate smiled. This was going better than she had hoped for. She didn't think a young woman Grace's age would be cooperative. On the contrary, most of the time, most teenagers her age are under the category"unbearable to work with." Grace seemed different. Maybe it was the young parenthood. Maybe it was her not knowing her parents her whole life. Kate didn't know, but she knew that she was some of the only family Grace and Johanna had left, and she was going to be there for her from now on.

So Kate and Grace made a game plan while Castle held Baby Johanna and played with her, making her squeal and giggle until she let out a small yawn, her mouth making a little o.

Castle handed her to Kate again, and soon she fell asleep in Kate's arms. Kate wanted to help this little girl have a family, and have a fun childhood, even if her mother was young. She was going to make it her new goal in life. To help her newfound niece.

"Okay, I have an add on to our plan. Instead of heading to Castle's apartment, I could head back with you. Help watch little one here while you get ready." Kate suggested.

Grace's eyes lit up. "Like meaning I could get in a relaxing bath and not have to have her bouncer in the same room?" she said and laughed at how silly she sounded.

Kate nodded, up for the job. "I'd be glad to help. Castle has his mother who can help him and his daughter as well."

Grace looked wide eyed at the author. _No wonder he was so good with Jo…he's a father himself…_Grace Thought.

Castle nodded. "If not, I can handle it myself. I had better be going if I'm going to have everything done by the time you ladies are going to be there." He smiled and got up. He shook Grace's hand and told Kate he would see them both tonight.

Grace looked at Kate again. "Would you mind if we headed back now?" she smiled sheepishly. "I'm _aching _to get into that bathtub full of warm water." She was lost in thought of actually having some Grace-time, and Kate could tell.

"Sure, I'm ready when you are." She got up, Johanna still in her arms.

Grace reached for her, but Kate shook her head.

"She's sleeping. I don't mind carrying her to your apartment. It's not too far of a walk."

Grace smiled and nodded. She piled up everything in the stroller and they left the café. As sisters, together.

_**Okay so there is chapter 5! Wow! I'm sorry for the lack of updates. I am hopefully getting my router for the internet tomorrow (Wednesday) (and yes this chapter took me two days to write (hence the day on top saying Monday, and now today [much rather tonight] is Tuesday). Much longer than the others, and I got stuck after awhile. But it's up! And I can't wait till I get some reviews!**_

_**Good and bad are both accepted. Even some ideas maybe?**_

_**Anyway read and review!**_


	6. Bookstores and Photo Albums

_**Okay so I know I haven't written in a awhile, and if I were looking for a reason, my best one is that I just haven't had an inspiration. I basically wrote myself into a wall. Anyway I'm going to try my best to get out of the rut I'm in.**_

_**Heres Chapter 6 of A New Start.**_

_**DICLAIMER: DON'T OWN ANYTHING…ALL ABC! NONE FOR ME!**_

Castle unlocked the door to his loft, heading to the kitchen so that he could have everything ready for tonight. He wanted it to be perfect in a way. Not just for Kate, but for Gracelynn and the baby too. She probably used to being places with a newborn now, except that café and maybe the grocery store around the block.

Castle was going to make his homemade lasagna with multiple vegetables. _To make it healthy, _he thought. She got the ingredients out and started preparing the sauce with all the chopped vegetables and seasonings. He took out a fresh loaf of Italian bread and sliced it for the oven.

Once the lasagna was ready for the oven as well, he put it in for a slow cook so that he would have enough time to take a shower and get ready.

…..

Kate and Gracelynn passed multiple shops on their way to Grace's apartment. Kate was still holding Johanna and she was looking at the sky above her, eyes amazed at what she saw.

Grace was looking into a little bookstore, at all the new releases.

Kate saw her desire. "Grace, do you want to go in?" she asked, smiling.

Grace turned around, not noticing she was making it obvious.

"I don't know, I don't think we have enou-"

Kate cut her off my grabbing her hand and leading her into the bookstore.

Her eyes got big with amazement, looking from one author to another. She walked the aisles while Kate went her own way, down to the Mystery section, looking for something new to read. She wasn't exactly picky, but didn't like certain genres. And then she saw something she wasn't expecting.

She was a Cosmo magazine with Castles' new book, Naked Heat, on the page with a comparison of her picture right next to it with the caption "_New York's finest now realized." _

Grace was coming up to Kate when she noticed the cover too.

Her eyes got even bigger, not believing what she was seeing.

"Kate, are you the Detective Castle was basing his book on?" Kate put a finger to her mouth while balancing Johanna at the same time.

"I can't believe you're Nikki Heat." She said, shocked.

"Grace, please, keep your voice down. I don't want a scene here, of all places." She asked quietly.

She looked around, noticing that people were starting to look. She shut her mouth before she could say anything else.

Kate noticed she had a book in her hand and one of rather good size too. _Daughter of the Forest?_ Kate thought. She had never heard of that one.

Grace noticed where Kate's attention was. She held up the book.

"This is one of my favorite books. I have never been able to find it until today. I'm hoping they have it on sale." She said, optimistic.

They walked to the counter, with only Grace getting something.

The clerk rang up her purchase, saying dully,"$16.94."

Grace frowned. "I only have fifteen left." She reached for the book to take it back to the shelf when Kate put her hand on the book.

"I got it." She said with a smile. "I know how hard it is, going without a book to read."

Grace started to protest, but Kate wouldn't hear it. She _wanted _to do this for her sister. And she wasn't lying when she said she knew what it was like. It was excruciating, not having a book to read. After her mother's murder, she probably would not have made it through the darkness if not for the books.

Grace looked up at her. "Thanks, Kate." She smiled big at her.

Kate just smiled back. Grace took the bag with her book from the clerk.

Kate grabber her hand when she put her book in Johanna's stroller. "C'mon. Let's get back to your apartment so that you can have your long awaited bath."

Grace giggled, feeling like she was no longer a troubled girl on her own.

…

Grace unlocked the front door to her apartment, and led the stroller along with Kate, still managing to carry Johanna, into the room.

Grace unloaded the stroller, putting the diaper bag on the couch, her book on the disorganized coffee table, and her stuff back in her room. Finally, she folded the stroller back up and put it in a small closet in the kitchen.

Grace reached in the diaper bag and pulled out another blanket and laid it on the floor.

"When she gets fussy, you can lay her down on the blanket. Usually she falls asleep on it." Grace informed.

Kate nodded. "Okay. Sounds easy enough." She smiled. Grace looked like she was uncomfortable, leaving her baby behind.

"Go on, Grace. It'll be fine. She wouldn't be the first baby I watched, and definitely won't be the last." Kate informed.

Grace smiled. "I'm being ridiculous, aren't I?"

Kate smiled warmly at her. She walked up to Grace and hugged her, not expecting this in the least.

"No, you're not. You're being a mother who cares a lot about her baby." She rubbed her back soothingly.

"Now," Kate continued. "If you don't get in that bathtub in the next five minutes and spend at _least _one hour in there, I will drag and chain you to that bathtub myself. Do I make myself clear?" she said in her best fake-meanest voice. Grace smiled.

"Yes ma'am!" she said as she turned around and marched to her bathroom.

Kate looked down at the small baby in her arms. She heard the water running in the other room and heard music coming from there as well. After a few seconds, she heard Grace singing.

"Tue eres mi refugio seguro…" it sounded like a Spanish song, considering she recognized some of the words.

"Que tu me cubres el aguacero, tu eres mi paragusa y mi consuelo." She continued singing.

Kate put Johanna down on her blanket and let her play for a little while. She seemed content enough to lay there. Kate grabbed her cell phone, when she saw the screen light up. She had a text from Castle.

I am showered and the food is in the oven. You have a good 2 hours until the food is even close to finishing. How is everything on your front? She couldn't help but smile.

She replied, _Good. Grace is relaxing and I am watching Johanna. We will be there later on._

She set her phone down on the table, and noticed the photo album under the beaten piece of wood. She opened it up to the front page to see a baby with a death glare looking up at the hospital camera.

_Gracelynn Rose Beckett. 6 lbs. 13 oz. March 13, 1992. 11:11 a.m._

Kate looked back at the baby that was her sister, then at the baby that was right in front of her. Almost identical, other than Grace had darker hair.

She turned the page, and the next picture was of a little toddler with a head full of curls wearing a white dress next to who she assumed was someone from Fadden Hills Orphanage. At least that's what the t-shirt said.

She looked at the next page, and it was Grace, now looking about four, sitting in front of a huge Christmas tree with another little girl. She had blonde hair, and piercing blue eyes.

Kate continued to flip through the pages in the photo album until she came to one photo that made tears come to her eyes.

It was one of her mother in a hospital bed, with what looked to be a newborn Gracelynn in her arms. Her mother was smiling like she just won the lottery. Kate realized that there were a couple other photos under that one and took them out of the covering. There was one where her mother was rocking a crying Grace and another where her mother was kissing her little head.

Kate noticed the tears had started to fall, and quickly wiped at them. She put the pictures back where she found them and continued on with the album.

The next photo was of a young girl with a gorging belly, looking big enough to snap the girl in half. _This must be Grace when she was pregnant with Johanna, _Kate thought. She was what most would consider "glowing" and she had a radiant smile on her face.

The next page was must have been when Grace was in labor with Johanna. There were many pictures of this day, but two stuck out the most. The one where Grace was hold her baby girl for the first time, and when she was kissing her baby girls head. Just like the one where Johanna was doing the same thing to Grace when she was born.

On the last page, there was only one picture.

_Johanna Linda Beckett. 6 lbs. 2 oz. June 13, 2010. 3:28 a.m._

Kate smiled at her niece's picture. She had the slightest hint of a smile on her face, nothing like her mother's picture. Even at this age, you could tell she had the greenest eyes.

Kate closed the album and put it back where she found it.

She looked back at Johanna, and saw that she had rolled herself over, picked herself up, and was starting to crawl.

"Hey there, little girl!" Kate called. "How did you get up all by yourself?" she cooed.

Johanna looked up at Kate and squealed in happiness. Kate laughed at her and moved to where she was in front of Johanna.

When she heard the door open a while later, she saw her sister emerge, hair wet and curly, going all the way down to her back, wearing a teal shirt, a pair of faded blue jeans, and tan boots. She looked refreshed.

When Johanna saw her mother, she started crawling in her direction.

Grace looked at her, amazed. "When did she start doing this?" she exclaimed.

Kate smiled. "Just now. I was distracted by something, and looked back at her to see she had flipped and started to come for me."

Grace bent down to pick up Johanna.

"Well, we had better get little miss cruiser here ready." She laid her on the blanket, and grabbed a small pair of baby jeans and a blue shirt from the pile of baby clothes folded in a chair. Once Johanna was dressed, Grace put on her little brown jacket, and strapped her in her little carrier. Grace went to the hall closet to get her puffy brown jacket, and with it on and what she was wearing, she looked more like a teenager going to a football game, not a teen mother.

"Well," Grace said, "I'm ready when you are, Kate." Grace smiled at her.

Kate returned it.

Grace grabbed the carrier with Johanna in it, and walked up to Kate, and linked her arm with hers.

Kate looked down at her phone, and sent him a message:

_The Beckett Sisters are on their way._

_**Well there you go everyone!**_

_**Again sorry for the lack of update.**_

_**Review, review, review! **___


	7. Something Given, and Something Gained

_**Okay so here I go again. I hope you liked the last chapter**____** enjoy chapter seven!**_

**DICLAIMER! DON'T OWN CASTLE! IT'S ALL ABC'S!**

Castle was pacing back and forth in his living room, wondering when they were going to be there. Kate had texted him not more than 15 minutes ago saying that "The Beckett Girls" were on their way, and that had earned him a smile. He was happy that they had been getting along so well, considering the circumstances. It was a pretty unusual to find a long lost sibling, especially one with a child.

But that was the point of this get together for them, he supposed. It was for Kate and Grace to get to know each other further, all the while enjoying a delicious meal that was healthy and would fill them up.

He stopped pacing for a little while and sat down. He started tapping his foot, getting anxious about the increasing hour. He checks his phone. _5:45 p.m. _Okay so he was exaggerating about the time, but still, he hadn't seen Kate all day. And since that kiss…

He couldn't believe Kate had even _let _him get that close for a kiss that intense. It was short lived, but still intense.

He heard footfall on his stairs, and turned to see Alexis running down the stairs. She had her hair slightly curled, flowing all the way down her back.

"Where are you going, if I may ask, Daughter of mine?" he said with an English font to his voice.

She turned around to face him. "Dad, would you mind if I went with Ashley to the mall for a little while? I know you're having Kate over, and I'm going to stay to say hello, but for the whole thing might get to be awkward." She looked into his eyes, having a slight pout to hers, if that was even possible.

Castle understood completely, knowing Beckett and Grace might not want too much of an audience. He thought it was going to be awkward with him around as it is.

"Sure, Honey, but remember…it's a school night. Be home by one." He smiled.

She leaned in and kissed his cheek. "I'll be home by nine, dad." She ran back upstairs so that she could finish getting ready.

Castle went to the kitchen to get himself something to drink when the doorbell finally rang. He rushed to the door, skidding on the flooring and hitting hit foot on the umbrella canister.

He exclaimed in pain, and rubbed his foot, all while opening the front door.

"Well, you certainly know how to welcome people, Castle." He heard Kate's sarcastic tone, and looked up to meet her eyes. She was smiling at him while trying to hold in some snickers.

"Well, Kate, at least chivalry isn't all gone." Grace said, in an amused voice." Most people I've met make you open the door to their house _yourselves._ Also, he can cook. Let's not be rude. We don't want him spitting in what he gives us." She smiled at Castle as well.

Castle moved out of the way so that the women could walk into the house.

Grace wobbled in first with the baby carrier in her hands trying to get it in. Once she entered the living room, she set the seat down along with the big bag she was carrying with Johanna's stuff.

She straightened up and popped her back only to get astounded by the loft. For what the building looked like outside, she didn't think it was _that _huge.

Kate knew just how she felt, remembering how she felt when she first came into Castle's loft. She remembered comparing it to the bat cave from _Batman._ The living room was quite big, but at the same time, still very homey. She saw the stairs that led to where Alexis and Martha's rooms were. She heard Alexis's voice upstairs, thinking she was on the phone.

Castle walked up to Grace, and grabbed the baby bag to set it on the table. "Well, Grace, I have to say Welcome to the Castle Manor." He smiled at her astounded face. "Would you like a tour?" he asked politely.

All Grace could do was nod. Castle grabbed her elbow, along with Beckett's, and led them through his loft.

"Castle, I've already _been _to your house! I think that exempts me from this."

Castle wasn't having any of it. "No, no Beckett. You have to join in on the tour too." She noticed when he moved his hand from her elbow to her hand, but she didn't say anything out loud, just squeezed his hand tighter. Castles' heart stuttered slightly, but he wasn't the only one. Kate's had a little moment too.

Thirty minutes later, they ended up at Castle's office, which was also his library. Grace had not even taken two steps into it, and almost passes out. Kate grabbed her, and held her up a bit, but realized it was nothing serious.

She just saw all the books.

"O-o-o-o-oh-h-h-h-h…m-m-m-my….g-g-g-gos-s-s-h-h!" she squealed in excitement. "There are so _many books!_" she couldn't help but be surprised. She had only ever seen that many book in the stores and the libraries. She had _dreamed _of the idea of owning her own library, but that was all it ever was…a dream.

Castle smiled and let her look at his titles. He turned to Beckett, and saw she was doing the same as him. _Seems little Beckett was a bookworm, _he thought to himself. He was glad, thinking this is what must have made her so grounded and sweet, her love of books.

Castle thought back to Grace's apartment. _There weren't many books, and most were the libraries._

He thought about it for a little while, and he looked around his bookshelf for something he wanted her to read, something maybe that she would like and just _something!_

He grabbed a couple poetry books, some classics, and a more recent book from James Patterson, a good poker buddy of his, and looked her way.

"I haven't read these books as much as the others and they are pretty dispensable. If you would be interested in reading them, I'd be happy to let you have them." He saw her eyes light up, and she just about let another squeal out when she instead dived into him for a big hug.

Castle wasn't expecting this, and looked at Kate. She just smiled at him, thinking it was sweet what he was doing. He tried to hug her back as well as he could, considering his hands were full, and she finally released him. She took the books out of his hands, one at a time, reading the covers. She wasn't afraid of not liking them, but more curious as to what she was going to get to explore now.

When they headed back to the living room, Castle heard the doorbell ring. He was on his way to get it when Alexis walked pass him and got it herself. When she opened the door, he saw Ashley on the other side, smiling at her.

"Hey." Alexis said and leaned in for a small kiss. Ashley pecked her and then saw who was behind her and cleared his throat.

"Hello, Mr. Castle" he said voice full of fear.

Alexis turned around, seeing her dad. She gave him a warning glare, but he just raised his hands innocently.

"I swear, Honey, I don't have a gun…That's all Beckett!" he pointed a finger in her direction, and Kate smiled. To make it funnier, she flashed Ashley her gun. He went a shade paler.

Alexis took his hand. "Don't worry. She won't shoot you unless you do something _really _bad. I mean, she hasn't shot my Dad yet." She turned and gave a sweet smile to her dad and he returned it with a mocking one.

Alexis lead Ashley to Kate. "Ash, this is Detective Kate Beckett. She is the cop my Dad has been shadowing. The one the _Nikki Heat_ books' are based off of." Kate blushed only slightly, not that they could see it.

"It's nice to meet you, ma'am." He said, shaking her hand.

"Same goes for you, Ashley. Alexis has told me many things about you." She brought Grace up.

"Alexis, this is Grace." Grace waved politely, not knowing what all to do.

Alexis leaned forward and hugged Grace, taking her by surprise. "It's so nice to meet you." She pulled back and looked Grace in the eyes. "You have her eyes. Kate's eyes. I can see how you two are sisters." She looked at Kate. "I'm glad you found her. Now your family is bigger." She smiled and hugged Kate, then went back to holding Ashley's hand.

Kate felt tears well up in her eyes, but tried to hold them in.

Ashley looked at his watch. "Oh, well Alexis, if we want to get to the mall before it closes, we better go."

He looked up, afraid of what Castle would say. He only smiled, nodding his head.

"You two have fun." He said after they left out the door.

Grace was the first to speak. "Well, she's sweet." She looked at Castle. "And the boy is too. Is that her boyfriend?" she asked.

Castle and Kate nodded. Grace nodded in understanding. "Figured as much. He was terrified of you, Mr. Castle." She smiled.

Castle laughed. "If you are going to be eating here tonight, Grace, I have only one rule." He smirked. "Call me Rick. Please."

She laughed. "Deal." She shook hands in a mock deal maker. Castle heard a low rumble and looked to see Grace clutch her stomach.

"Looks like someone's hungry." Castle said in playful voice. "Shall we eat?" he led them into the one room they had not seen yet. The dining room.

The table was packed with food; The Lasagna, fresh bread from one of the local bakeries, some veggies, different types of smaller pastas. The table was set for three.

He led the two ladies to a chair, sitting them next to each other. He took his seat and started to cut the Lasagna. He grabbed each of their plates and gave them the utensils for them to get what else they wanted.

When they say down he asked what they wanted to drink. Grace knelt down to check on Johanna. "I'll just have some water." She asked.

Castle asked Kate what she wanted.

"Got any good wine?" she asked playfully.

He nodded. "I'll bring some out for you to taste-test." He smiled and left the room.

Kate looked back and saw Grace smiling. She looked at her more carefully.

"What?" Kate asked skeptically.

Grace just shook her head, not looking her sister in the eye. She started laughing, no longer holding it in.

When she finished, Grace looked at her sister again, finding the way to phrase her question.

"So…You and Castle?" she smirked at Kate's slight falling of the face. "How long?" she stated.

Kate looked at her feet.

"What makes you say that?" she tried the useless tactic of denying, but that what it was…useless.

"Oh c'mon, really Kate? Don't play that with me! I can see how you two act!" she smiled and did a little eye brow wiggle.

Kate laughed at that. She leaned in, smiling. "Just today. I swear." She stated quietly. Grace smiled, and then heard footsteps coming this way.

"Sorry, ladies, too take so long." He looked at the two huddled together.

He smiled. "What?" he asked.

"Nothing…" Grace and Kate chimed together, laughing at the sync.

Castle just smiled. He sat at his chair after giving the women their drinks. After some small table talk and a few bickering spells between Castle and Kate, they were all done, and Grace was as stuffed as a penguin. She leaned down to pick up the now awake and hungry Johanna, and reached out to grab her specially prepared bottle. She stuck the nipple of the bottle in, and voila! Instantly, the baby was sucking away, content as can be.

Castle looked at the baby girl, smiling. "I remember when Alexis was that small. So precious." He had sort of dazed look on his face, remembering his girl years ago.

Kate smiled, realizing she didn't know how he felt, considering she wasn't a mother. She knew people with babies, but she didn't have one she was close too. She was hoping that Johanna could be that for her, being she was her niece.

Grace laughed, looking at her baby. "Yeah, well I still want her to be small, to not grow up. She's so precious like this now, I don't want it to change." She cradled her closer. "When I found out I was pregnant with her, I just about jumped off a cliff. I didn't know the first thing about being a mother and I was scared off my ass." She looked up at Castle and Kate.

"I knew I couldn't give her up. I knew that that was never an option for me. My mother didn't do that with me, and I figured as much that I wasn't planned, so I wasn't going to do that to her. But I couldn't handle giving her up either. I had to keep her." She smiled at them, showing the slightest tear falling down her cheek. "Even if she was just a constant reminder of what happened to me."

She was quiet before she spoke again. "Best thing I ever did." She thought about that for a little while. "Well, that and when I went to Jacob's house…" she said thoughtfully.

Kate looked at her. "So that he could know he had a daughter?" Kate asked.

Grace shook her head. "No, because if that neighbor had not have seen me, that would not have led you to me. I would still be living my life, thinking I had no family."

Kate had tears well up in her eyes, and she couldn't hold them in. Grace saw the tears, got up the smoothest she could without moving Johanna's bottle, walked over and hugged Kate.

"You don't know how much I'm glad to have found you."Grace whispered in her ear.

Kate whispered back. "I think I just might." She squeezed her tighter.

After they broke apart and Johanna was back in her seat, Kate saw Grace's eyes start to droop.

"We had better get you home. You're stooped." Kate walked over to Grace and helped her up. Castle grabbed Johanna and her things, along with the books in the diaper bag. Kate and Castle walked Grace in tow to the elevator, all the way down to the lobby and outside, where the cab was waiting for them.

Castle loaded everything in, with Kate and Grace already in the back seat, Johanna between them. Castle paid for the trip with extra so that the driver could carry the things up to Grace's apartment. He walked over to Kate's side of the cab and kissed her forehead.

"Until tomorrow, Kate." He smiled. She leaned up to kiss him on the lips, shocking him completely.

"Night, Castle." She got back in the car. What he just realized made him smile as the cab drove off down the street with him looking after it.

Kate was wearing the scarf he had bought her this morning.

_**Thanks for reading…!**_

_**Don't forget to press that little "Review button" down there! It'll bring you another chapter!**_


	8. Making Out and Getting Caught

_**Okay so I have some news….unless I get an upgrade to my Microsoft or find my product key soon…..ill lose Microsoft for awhile…I can open it four more times before something happens…so I'm hoping to use my time wisely..Anywhoo…CHAPTER 8!**_

**DISCLAIMER: DON'T OWN ANYTHING, YADDA YADDA…YOU KNOW HOW IT GOES.**

Kate turned over in her bed. She looked at the neon green lights of her alarm clock.

_4:26 a.m._

Way too early to get up. She had only gotten back to her house at eleven. After she got Grace back to her apartment safely, and Johanna into her crib, she headed back to her apartment. She did some paperwork she had brought from the precinct, but soon started to doze off, and decided to go to bed.

That was almost four and a half hours ago, though. Since then, she was having the same dream over and over.

That she had actually gotten the guts to stand up and _kiss _Castle. In front of people too! She was positive it had been a dream…

But the feeling that she was experiencing when she thought of that kiss, when she thought of his lips on hers, felt more than a dream…

More like a hazy memory, clouded with emotion. A very strong emotion that Kate was not willingly to admit to herself, and definitely not to Castle.

She turned over in her bed, thinking about the day before. It wasn't what most called a "normal day in the life of so and so" she thought. It was…interesting. Both the kissing Castle and the discovery of her sister, Grace.

She had left Grace her cell phone number just in case there was a sudden emergency and she needed her for any reason. She couldn't help but worry over the girl. She was independent, just like Kate, but also like Kate, she didn't seem very keen on people coming in as more than she was comfortable with. But then again, whoever was?

She turned around again, sleep evading her and started looking at her wall, thinking about how she was going to spend her day. It was her normal day off, and the Captain had called and left a voicemail at her house yesterday _ordering _ her NOT to come into work today, to take it off like usual.

_Maybe Castle might want to do something? Or Grace? Maybe take Grace and Johanna to the park, or something, _she didn't know what though…

She decided she was just wasting time laying in bed, and decided to get up.

When she had slipped her robe on, that was when she heard it: the dropping of a cup.

She heard the glass shattering and a low mumbling of someone in the room just across from her room.

She quietly ran to her nightstand and grabbed her firearm in the top drawer. She raised it high so that she could see the aim trigger level with her eyes, making a clear shot almost too easy to believe. She quietly turned the knob.

When she heard the latch click saying the door was open, she swung the door open, aimed her gun and yelled, "Hands in the air!" at the top of her lungs.

She wasn't expecting this though…

"Castle, you are so stupid! What the hell were thinking? Not only the sneaking into my apartment, but bringing my sister and her baby? You could've gotten them KILLED!" she exclaimed at Castle in her kitchen, not bothering to keep her voice down for her sister in the other room. She couldn't believe Castle could be this reckless!

"Well, I'm sorry detective! I was hoping to beat you to the "Waking you up" part. I forgot what you preferred sleep accessory was. Why can't you sleep with one of those stupid eye masks? Or a freaking stuffed animal? But no… a firearm for your bedside!" he yelled at her, but smiling at her all the while. A smile that was getting on her nerves REAL quick.

She huffed out her frustration, turned around and was about to leave, when Castle grabbed hold of her wrist, not allowing her the escape she desired. He spun her around and crushed his lips to hers.

At first, she attempted to pull her hand back to smack him, but she soon got lost in the kiss, just like she had the day before. She pushed herself on her toes so that she could get more of him, but her feet only took her so far.

He lifted her up so that she could wrap her arms around his shoulders, and he pressed her to him tighter, not wanting her to get out of his grasp.

Kate tangled her fingers in his hair, feeling his in her own tangled mop. She pushed herself harder to him. She felt something behind her, realizing it was her counter top. He lifted her onto it, now having her sitting on it, him in between her legs that were now wrapped around his waist.

She brushed her tongue across Castle's bottom lip ever so slightly, and he moaned quietly. She was working her way up to his upper lip when she heard a loud clearing of the throat from someone who had just entered the room.

Kate shut her mouth quickly, nipping her tongue which made her yelp in pain. Castle turned around he hit his hip on the side of Kate's kitchen counter top corner. He grabbed his side, groaning in pain.

Grace busted into giggles, not being able to help herself. They were like a teenage couple, never having been kissed before in their lives. She held Johanna in her arms, and made a show of shielding her eyes.

"There is a _child _present!" she exclaimed, having her giggles showing in her exclamation.

Kate couldn't see her face, but she knew it was almost beet red.

Kate got up for her third cup of coffee, and to put her plate in her sink.

She was stuffed from Castle's pancakes and eggs, thinking she couldn't even hold another cup of coffee, but it was worth trying, she laughed at herself.

She walked into the kitchen to see Grace in the other room, looking at some photos on her wall. Kate put the mug down, forgetting it completely. She joined her sisters' side in her dining room.

Grace was looking a photo of Kate's high school graduation, the one with Kate, her mother, and her father all huddled in the crowd, Kate in the middle with her arms wrapped around her mom and dad, a giant smile plastered on her face, the cap on her head falling slightly.

She looked at Grace, noticing some tears pooling in her eyes. She clutched her shoulder comfortingly.

Grace looked up, smiled sadly, and looked back at the picture.

"I never got to graduate high school. I got pregnant before I could, and I didn't want to waste the time with it when I had a job, a small apartment, and was making enough money to support me and Johanna. I just didn't return from my winter break. More than likely, no one even noticed." She said, and Kate saw one of the tears fall down her cheek. It slid down her face till it hit Johanna, who didn't notice it.

Kate wrapped her in a tight hug, making sure not to squish the infant in between them. She rubbed her back soothingly, trying to calm the sobs that were coming from Grace, the ones wracking her body.

Grace pulled away and tried to wipe away her tears, not efficiently with one hand. Kate reached over and wiped the remaining tears away.

Grace looked back at the picture, a look a desire in her eyes.

"I don't care about the fact that I didn't finish high school. I _want _to go to college. I got my G.E.D. when I got released from the orphanage, but that had been it so far." She looked down at her baby girl. "I want to go to college and _finish for her…_" she said the last part in a whisper. She set the picture back where she found it.

Kate wrapped her arm around her again, still rubbing her back.

"I want to help you with that, Grace. If you need someone to watch Johanna, I can try to when I can, or I can find someone too. If you need help with work, I can do my best. I want to help make a better life for you and Johanna. Like it or not, not that I found you, you're stuck with me." She said, jostling her shoulder playfully.

Grace smiled and laughed at the comment. She was glad she had found Kate. She never knew she had a sister, not even she had other family. She was glad she could have someone with her, to lean on.

Grace used her free hand and wrapped it around Kate's waist, likewise with what she had done to Grace, and squeezed.

"Why don't we just stay here today?" Kate asked. Grace looked up at her. "I don't have to be in work today, and I don't have anything planned. I went out yesterday, so maybe today you and I can just relax here?" she asked Grace.

Grace looked up at her. "I'd like that, Kate." She smiled brightly, and Kate thought she could light a whole universe with the way she smiled.

They were about to enter the kitchen when Grace tugged Kate back. She had a slight smile on her face still.

"So from what I saw earlier in the kitchen, does that mean you forgave Castle for his B and E?" she laughed. Kate couldn't help but do the same.

_**Well there ya go folks. Another chapter completed((:**_

_**I hope this gets lots of reviews! I just figured out how the story should end, but I need to make my way there…and how to do that is complicated…but I'll get there soon enough.**_

_**Anyway REVIEWS PLEASE?**_


	9. Burgers and Break Ins

_**okay i want to thank everyone for all the reviews! for this and the other story i wrote! thanks to everyone! especially BeckettNYPD for reviewing throughout this entire story!**_

_**thanks so much and heres a chapter for my appreciation. WARNING: im writing this on wordpad so no spell check, so it might be kinda sloppy.**_

_**DISCLAIMER: I DONT OWN CASTLE!**_

Kate got up from the couch where she and Grace had been curled up watching _Snow White: A Tale of Terror _in celebration of the upcoming holiday. They had just ran out of popcorn, and Kate went into the kitchen to get some more.

Castle was curled up in a chair next to them, holding Johanna and playing with her, all while still paying attention to the movie.

It was getting pretty late though, the day flown by without anyone noticing anything. They had started watching movies after breakfast. That didn't feel like it was too long ago, but time has a way of leaving you.

She got back into the room, to see Grace getting up and putting Johanna in her little carseat. Castle was gethering up all of Johanna's toys on the floor and other items that may have been scattered around the room and stuffing them into the little brown bag.

Kate looked at Grace who was looking back at her. "Are you leaving already?" Kate asked. She didn't really want her to leave but she knew Grace had too.

"Yeah, sorry sis. I have class tomorrow and work. I have to make sure Johanna is bathed and good to go for Mrs. Grastens tomorrow or else she'll report me...but now I know my sister is a cop, I might be able to fix that..." she joked. Kate smirked at her with a sad twinge on her face. Grace looked up at her again, only this time reassuring.

"Hey, maybe we can get together sometime during the week and have lunch." she said, sliding on her jacket over her long sleeved purple shirt.

Kate smiled and looked at Castle. "Depends on how our schedule is during the week. Looks like we have to go back tomorrow as well, Castle." she saw the smirk come up on Castle's face, like a present was shoved under his nose.

Grace nodded understanding. She grabbed her daughter's carseat and the diaper bag off the floor. She came to Kate and hugged her as well as she could, and went to Castle and hugged him. She turned back to Kate.

"Goodnight, Kate. Sleep tight." she turned around and walked out the door and Castle closed it after she turned into the hall.

Castle turned around and walked to Kate. She smiled at what he was trying to do, as he pushed her to the corner of the room, hands on both sides of the wall, trapping her.

"Are you actually cornering me, Mr. Castle?" she asked innocently.

Castle got a devilish grin on his face, only bending down to gently run his lips along her neck.

Kate gasped in repsonse to his action. He placed his hands on the walls surrounding her.

His lips ran down her neck and collarbone and then up to her earlobe. Castle nipped at it, making goosebumps form over Kate.

She grabbed his face, pulling his lips to hers, and and smothering whatever fear or doubt she might have been having and crushed her lips to his.

After a couple of minutes or so, they broke apart for air.

Castle looked into Kate's eyes and she saw something in his pale blue irises. They were bright with excitement.

What neither of them had been expecting was for their stomachs to start rumbling. All either of them had eaten was popcorn all day.

Kate blushed, and Castle laughed, kissing her once, twice, three times on the lips.

"I sense a certain detective is hungry? Try and tell me if I'm wrong; I dare you." He looked at her with a michevious look, his eyes twinkling.

"Fine, then. I won't." she stated, walking over to her coat rack to grab her jacket. She felt Castle help her into it.

"Where would you like to go, KB?" he asked.

Kate thought about what she was wanting, going through her mental list.

_Chinese...no, had that no too long ago...Italian? No, not really...maybe..._

"Remys?" she asked.

Castle nodded. "I was thinking the same thing." She laughed as they left the apartment.

xxxxxxx

Carrying a paper bag filled with fries and burgers, not wanting to dine in, Kate walked up the flights of stairs to her apartment, Castle following behind with their milkshakes in tow.

When they got onto the floor and approached Kate's front door, though, they found it ajar.

Kate dropped the food and whipped out her firearm, aiming it for protection. She signaled for Castle not to move from where he was. He nodded, getting over behind her.

Kate approached the door slowly and cautiously, not knowing if whoever broke in was still _in. _

She listened quietly for a few moments, not hearing any movement. She made sure her gun was off safety, and entered with caution.

The living room was trashed, the remaining popcorn all over the floor, papers scattered, and furniture knocked over. Some of the picture frames where thrown on the floor, the glass cracked shattered.

Kate heard Castle close behind. She went down her hallway to check the bedroom, thinking that someone might be hiding.

Her bedroom looked like the rest of the apartment, trashed and scattered. Her jewelry box was throw on the floor, everything askew, but nothing really _missing._ She checked the other rooms, but didn't find anyone. She le her guard down, looking at the damage.

It was basically little things that would need repair, but it didn't seem right.

_Nothing was missing. Nothing was taken. So what was this then?_

She told Castle to call Esposito and Ryan, and to tell them to get some people over here to check for prints and fibers.

Scanning her small dining room, she finally noticed something missing.

A family portrait of her Mom, Dad, and herself, taked a couple years before Johanna was murdered.

_But why that?_

xxxxxxxx

Esposito and Ryan arrived half and hour later with CSU and a couple Detectives from Robbery.

Kate and Rick gave statements of what happened, saying that they arrived back to the apartment to see the place trashed. After clearing it for anybody still there, Kate said she noticed a picture was missing, but that being the only item missing. She couldn't think of why _only _that, but just making sure they had it out for their report.

CSU ran tests, but couldn't find anything. The door had been kicked in, leaving a single footprint, but they said it was a pretty common shoe, with a common size, not giving any leads.

After everyone packed everything up, Esposito and Ryan fixed Kate's door before leaving.

"You sure your okay, Boss?" Ryan asked before leaving. Kate nodded, shooing him out the door.

"If anything happens, call, Boss." Esposito said before she shut the door in their faces.

She turned around to face Castle, laying the food out, almost forgotten.

She sat down at the couch in front of the food, exhuasted. She wanted to eat and forget all this had happened.

Castle sat her in front of him and started rubbing her shoulders. She let out a small moan, and he started rubbing circles.

"Thanks for this Castle." she turned around to face him and peck his cheek.

He just smiled and continued rubbing her back as she started to eat.

_**well whoohoo!**_

_**another chapter! thanks again for all the reviews, please keep em coming!**_

_**HAPPY HALLOWEEN! thought i would try to get this up before i go out tonight...people are gonna be looking for a waldo((:**_

_**please excuse any errors:im writing this on wordpad. hope you enjoyed!**_

_**p.s. i finally know how this story is going to end as well!**_


	10. Abandonment

So this is the third time I'm attempting to write this...lets see how this goes..

Kate walked back to her desk after getting a quick drink of coffee, and saw that Castle had finally showed up. She found it odd that he wasnt here in the precint before her this morning.

"Morning Detective," he said with a small yawn.

She look at him and saw the dark circles under his eyes.

"Late Night?" she asked, and he just nodded. "Why not go back to your loft, Castle? All I have is paperwork set for today, and Esposito and Ryan will be handling any small case that might pop up." She looked at him, already starting to doze off.

He just shook his head. Kate grew slightly irratated. "Castle. Go."

He opened his eyes, shocked at her tone. He nodded slightly, got up from his chair, and placed a hand on her shoulder.

"Thank you. Promise me you'll call if something big pops up?" he asked.

She just nodded and gave him a soft smile.

He turned and walked toward the elevator. Kate watched the elevator open and shut.

Castle got out of the cab another half hour later in front of his loft. He tipped the man and walked through the entrance.

When he got to the door of his loft, he tiredly opened the front door and walked in, making a beeline for the couch.

Or tried to until someone placed a pillowcase over his head.

Kate was just about finished with paperwork, when she got up for yet another cup of coffee. when walking back to her desk, she saw Ryan and Esposito eyeing the paperwork.

"You know, Boss? If you want to head out early, I can finish up the work. You don't have much left, and the workday is almost over." Ryan said suggestedly.

" Plus you look like you could use a good nights sleep" Esposito added on. Kate gave him a sharo look, but he only grinned.

Kate was starting to fell the past three sleepless nights, with her body getting kinda achy. She looked, nodded and grabbed her stuff. She headed to the elevator, the same one she saw Castle leave through this morning, and hopped aboard.

When she got to her apartment floor about an hour later, she saw something infront of her door but couldn't make out what it was. As she got closer, she realized it was a bassinet.

With Johanna in it, sleeping.

Kate did a 360, looking for Grace. _Why is Johanna here without Grace? Whats going on? _she thought franticaly.

She gently picked up the bassinet and took it into her apartment. She layed it on her bed, and got out her cell phone. She punched in Grace's number, and placed the phone by her ear.

It was disconnected.

Kate tried again, but it was the same thing. She was getting worried. She looked at the sleeping baby, and saw the little folded paper for the first time.

She snatched it out of the bundles of blankets and unfolded it.

_Kate; you know who this is. I can only trust you with job. Please don't try to find me. I need to do this on my own. Just watch over Jo, please. Please, dont try to find me.I'm Sorry._

_-Grace._

Kate saw the tears before she felt them, as they welled up in her eyes. _What is going on? What happened to Grace? _

She folded up the note and placed it on her nightstand. She got her phone back out and called a different number.

After the third ring it picked up.

"Castle...?"

Kate broke down and started telling Castle everything.

Castle, on the other line, tried to comfort Kate.

"Kate, I'll be there soon okay? If Jo wakes up, try to comfort her. I'll get some supplies and be there soon."

"Okay. Thanks Castle." She said quietly. She hung up.

Castle looked down at his phone, and then to the person on his couch.

"Are you sure this is the right thing to do? You heard her; She's going into hysterics and it's not even at the worst moment yet." Castle tried to reason.

Grace just nodded. "I _have _to do this. I have to follow this lead. What happens if it goes away? We may never know who killed our mother. Please Castle, just make sure she doesn't go looking for me, and help her out with Jo. I know youre good with kids. You have knowledge. Just until i get back. I _will try_ to be back. Unless something happens." Grace looked at her hands, then got up.

Castle just nodded. "I'll help her out in anyway I can; and same goes for you. You have my number. Call if there is any trouble." Grace nodded again.

She hugged him tightly, the headed to the front door.

Before she left, she turned one more time. "Thanks Castle; For everything."

Castle nodded. "Always."

She smiled softly, turned and closed the door.

Castle sat down on the couch and put his head in his hands.

He knew what Grace meant by following up alone. She _had _to go alone or else someone might get suspicious. Castle was a little unsettled when she mentioned some "connections" with a mafia family, but he had to trust her. This was her decision, and he couldn't let Kate know, or she would follow her. He had to keep her in the dark.

He just hoped she would never know he knew. She would kill him; or worse. Cut ties. Permanently.

He went into the Kitchen to grab his wallet and then left his loft, leaving a note for Alexis to call him when she got home.

_Well, sorry for long wait. But hopefully the next chapter comes quicker then this one. The next chapter will more than likely be the last one, and then another fic will be started on Grace's journey along with Kate adjusting._

_But anyway, REVIEW (:_


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